Wound coverings are required for various disease patterns or traumata, particularly in the area of the open abdomen, where a temporary covering of the open wound or the open abdomen is required. This can be necessary, for example, where several procedures are required daily to facilitate quick access to the internal organs, on the one hand, and to avoid a disadvantageous influence of exudate formation in the area of the wound, on the other hand. A significant decrease of mortality for some indications can be achieved by means of a temporary covering.
Two main requirements are basically made from the medical view on suitable wound coverings for the mentioned application purposes. On the one hand, a good exudate management in the area of the wound, particularly for applications in the open abdomen, must be achieved, i.e. removal by suction in the entire area of the wound or the entire abdomen. In addition to that, a decrease of friction should be achieved between organs and peritoneum and the wound covering, whereas the wound is simultaneously screened well from the environment. In addition to that, it must be secured that no decontamination can reach the open wound or the open abdominal area through the wound covering.
EP 0 261 167 B1 describes a wound covering permeable to fluid and provided for direct contact with the wound base, having a hydrophobic layer to prevent adherence of the wound covering to the area of the wound and a decontamination of the wound caused thereby, as the case may be. The wound covering described in this document, however, does not achieve a satisfactory exudate management in the area of the wound.
To improve exudate management in the area of the wound, U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,859 B2 suggests a wound covering, where a foam-like layer is incorporated between two foil-like, strip-like elements permeable to water, which can be designed as plastic films, in which exudates can be absorbed. Is has proven to be problematic for the wound covering known from this document, however, that no satisfactory removal by suction of exudates can be facilitated at the edge of the wound so that complications occur during wound care in such areas.
WO 2007/118652 A1 describes a subtle thermoplastic section of material, onto which absorbent secondary dressings can be applied without adhesion and which is provided with a rough handle and a plurality of three dimensional perforations to form a first smooth surface and a second surface. When applying these known wound coverings the downstream absorption bodies are interchangeable to provide satisfactory wound care for a longer period of time. It has proven to be problematic when applying the wound covering systems described in this document, however, that satisfactory exudate management cannot be achieved over the entire area of the wound, particularly in the abdominal area.